The Troublemaker
by Buster Cochrane
Summary: Sequel to "The Injury". After recovering, Nick is send to an undercover mission. Soon events test not only his endurance, but also his loyalty and last but not least he has to ask himself the question "What do I want to be?" Rated M for language and violence
1. The Comeback

It's been almost two weeks since Nick Wilde has returned from his vacation. Just yesterday was his last appointment at the doctor to make sure the wound was healing without problems. It had resulted in a more or less circular spot on his abdomen. He did not like it, but soon fur would grow over it.

At his first night back in his own apartment he predominately thought about the night he heard Judy's conversation with her parents. It made him feel good to hear that they were not his enemies, nor enemies of Judy. He often thought it was not only stupid, but really inappropriate to think of her parents as enemies in the first place.

And how odd it may sound he actually looked forward to his first day back at work. After all he would see Judy more regular again.

She also occupied his mind the past week. That meant he was staring at the ceiling or waiting for his coffee maker to make the brown life-potion, he needed every day, and thought about what his relationship with Judy actually was.

They were work partners. _Thank you Captain Obvious._

They were best friends. _Yeah, but is there more?_

He wouldn't go as far as to call it love. He felt like in limbo. He neither loved Judy nor was it simple friendship. No it wasn't simple at all. It was something complex and yet it developed so fast. He met Judy just a year ago and in just 48 hours they became something you could call colleagues. In the following months, apart from a certain period they were completely apart from each other, they grew to become friends. Yes even in this meantime Nick predominately thought about her and about what she had done and what he had lost. When she came back and the case was solved it was even better. And until two weeks ago they were best friends, partners and buddies. But what do they have now? Did Judy even know that they had this thing?

He asked himself the same questions over and over again and came to the conclusion, that he had no answer.

So he focused on his work instead, that mostly consisted of Paperwork, patrol with Judy, Paperwork, chatting with Clawhauser, Paperwork, actually meter maid duty ( _I will never prank Bogo again. Ok maybe I will_ ) and oh who had guessed: Paperwork!

That was until a Monday morning two weeks after his vacation. The day promised to be horrible. Coffee Maker did not work, the Snarlbucks coffee he spend far too much money for fell him out of the paw after only two sips. He was not a morning person and especially not a Monday person. As he finally arrived at the station he had to race to the bullpen to be punctual. At least he managed that.

Judy was not that happy though, that Bogo came into the room in the same second Nick closed the door. He was satisfied that Judy had no time to actually scold him for that. Bogo began giving out the assignments. As – once again – all assignments were given out before his name was read he expected another day with Paperwork. But instead Bogo lifted his gaze upon the two smallest members of the police force and ordered them into his office.

 _Shit._

 _That can't be good, can it? Is he still mad about this glitter-prank?_

Judy seemed to think the same as she threw a frown at him and stood up to follow Bogo out of the bullpen.

He closed the office door behind him and sat down, or more stood on one of the chairs, looking up to Bogo, who rested his arms on the solid wooden table.

"I have a special assignment for you."

"A case for us?"

"Actually it is only for Wilde."

 _Please have mercy buffalo butt._

"For me? Oh you are spoiling me."

"…Exactly. I guess you watch the news?"

"Every day, while ironing my shirts."

Bogo gave him a glare, but he heard Judy chuckle quietly and that saved him from losing his smirk.

"So I guess you have heard of the murder cases recently."

Now he did lose his smirk. In the past weeks since he was injured, three people had been killed in a torturous way. A female antelope was shaved completely and shot. A male hare was shot in and hung on his ears under a bridge. And a male lion had the word 'Traitor' slit into his chest.

"You want to tell us you have a lead?" Judy asked. She was particularly shaken by the events. She just had visited him when the news about the hare came in. Judging from her reaction the picture of a hare hung on his ears will haunt her forever. She slept in his apartment that night. If it weren't for the circumstances he would have been happy about that.

"Yes. We found a bar, whose owner buys a certain flower, which can be used to make the tranquilizer, the lion victims was drugged with, just before the attack. However this flower can also be legally obtained as ingredient for an ale. So we have no proof."

"And what is my part in that story?"

"Well…just recently the bar owner fired an employee and is searching for new ones."

"You want me to work at a bar?"

"Yes."

"Could be worse…"

"No drinking on the job Wilde."

"Oh come on, I am literally working in a bar, how can I avoid getting drunk?"

"Nick, you won't drink in that bar." Both Judy and Bogo stared him down.

"Geez ok. No drinking."

"Show me your hand, Wilde."

"I didn't cross fingers!"

"I didn't ask that."

 _I swear if you won't stop smirking MY smirk, I will punch you right in your buffalo face._


	2. Marty Vulpes

"Marty?"

"Is that a problem?"

Nick looked down on the personal file, Bogo had given him in his office. He read through it again.

"Couldn't we take another name?"

"Making up a new personality would take days, Wilde. So we stick with Marty."

"Oh come on. This name sounds ridiculous."

The badger from the undercover bureau frowned at him. _Ah right…_

"Heh sorry, Marty."

"Put your sorry in my ass, Wilde."

"Geez, I'm sorry ok?"

Marty rolled his eyes and walked over to his desk. From there he brought a small box and opened it in front of Nick. It contained two contact lenses, blue in collar.

"I will miss the wonderful image of my green eyes." Nick said as he took them out carefully and walked over to a nearby mirror, putting the lenses into his eyes. He could practically feel the badger's eye roll in his back. "What I am proud of my looks."

The badger sighed before getting a mischievous grin. "Well then you sure won't like this…"

"Huh?" But Marty had already pushed the cans into his hand. "No."

"It is required by the job."

"I am not dying my fur."

"Bogo insisted."

 _That glitter-coated motherfucker._

"I believe this." He angrily looked down on the cans of white and grey spray paint. It was a product especially developed by the ZPD for undercover agents. It was not dangerous, water and fire proof and it looked realistic.

"Oh come on, Wilde, some spray paint won't hurt, huh? Besides we have our experts just for this job." The badger had a teasing smile as he pointed to a cabin. "They wait in there. Be sure to reach every inch."

Nick angrily mumbled insults as he walked over to the cabin.

Only an hour later Judy visited Marty's office. The badger was sleeping with his feet on the desk. She coughed to make her presence announced. The badger was sound asleep though. She tried to awake him quietly.

"Hello."

"HELLO."

The second time the badger nearly fell of his chair.

"How's Nick doing?"

"Um, pretty good, I guess. He should be ready any minute."

Just after this sentence an artic fox with blue eyes entered the room out of a small cabin. Judy looked at him dumbfounded. Not only was his fur dyed perfectly and his eyes had a new colour, but he also exchanged his favorite shirt and khakis for a black tee, grey pants and a blue jacket.

"Nick?"

"The one and only."

"Oh my gosh, I can barely recognize you!"

"Oh you don't say."

He seemed not too happy about his condition.

"I look like one of those reality TV mammals."

"You look like a fox that wants to work in a bar."

"It's a shame I can't drink there. At least I would forget my horrible condition."

"Oh now don't be so pissy, you look great!"

"Not nearly as good as in natura."

Judy made an unsure hand gesture. "Well…"

"I will forget that you just questioned my beauty. But only if you share a last coffee with me before the job."

Judy chuckled and turned for the door. "Come on then…"

"Marty."

She turned to him again with a wide grin. "Are you serious?"

"Dead serious."

Judy laughed on the way out and again he could feel the daggers coming from the badger.

They arrived at a Snarlbucks shop soon and sat down at the table. As he went through the menu he trailed of again. He thought about the upcoming job and particularly the downside of it. He wouldn't see Judy until it was done.

The thought bothered him the few days he had to prepare for his role as Marty Vulpes, an artic fox from tundratown, who wanted to work in Zootopia as a bartender in the '(T)rusty Mug'. _An incredibly stupid name. I must make sure to mention that when I'm there._

He had no idea, how long the actual work would take. He would live in a one-room flat not far from the pub in the meantime. Both was in the meadowlands, far away from his or Judy's apartment. Besides interacting with one of the best known police officers in the whole city would maybe blow his cover. That meant being alone with some possible murderers for an unscheduled time. Well of course he was not 100% alone. He had a GPS tracker with him all the time. In his home was a special radio station for secure communication with the ZPD. He would have to report everything he saw, heard or thought to them every evening.

Lost in thought, he hasn't even noticed that the waiter already took Judy's order. He quickly covered his surprise and ordered the first thing he saw on the menu as not to draw any attention to himself. _Guess I'm drinking a Frappuccino then. I don't even like those, but ok…_

Judy seemed to think the same.

"You don't even like frapps."

"I can't recall I ever said that."

"You did!"

"Do you have it on tape?" _No way she had the pen with her that day._

But he was wrong. She pulled out a carrot pen and his smirk faltered and his ears went right against his head in panic.

"Kidding, I don't, but your reaction said everything."

"Sly Bunny."

"Don't avoid me. You are not yourself today…literally."

"Haha, funny…"

"No seriously, is something wrong?"

"No, I'm fine." He turned his head and acted as he observed the pedestrians outside the shop.

"Nick…" He looked back at her. _Oh no…not the bunny eyes. That's unfair. Unfair!_

"Please…tell me what's wrong."

"N-nothing." He could barely compose himself as she attacked him with her stare. _Ugh rabbit, why do you have to be so sweet? Wait, what was that? Sweet? She is cute, but I can't say she's sweet, that's too much. We are just friends. Best friends yeah. I don't fucking know if it is anything like love…no, no we don't even go there. We are partners. That would be just problematic. We are best friends, who care for each other._

His train of thought saved him that day. As he continued to overthink things again, he ignored the bunny eyes and eventually Judy gave up. Her expression fell as fast as it came and she leaned back again.

"Fine…I let you battle with yourself."

"I am not battling myself."

"If you say so."

 _Too sly bunny._


	3. Nick's first job interview

This night Nick slept more or less well. He had attacked his brain in cross-questioning the whole evening, thus he was tired enough to fall asleep in seconds. The next morning he forced his thoughts out his head and solely focused on the upcoming job. He got up, showered, ate and dressed in his new clothes. Sitting down on his bed, he realized he had still some minutes until he had to go for the bar, so he pulled out the radio station from under his bed and switched it on.

"Handsome Fox to Buffalo Butt, do you read? Over."

"For the last time, your codename is Foxtrott and we are Central. And also we don't use vocabulary like Over, Out or Roger."

"Aw come on, nothing about a little fun at the workplace."

"Shouldn't you be heading to your workplace right now?"

"Calm down, I have some minutes until I have to leave."

"I swear to you Foxtrott, if you fuck this up, I will make you suffer."

"Are you still that mad about my prank?"

He heard Bogo angrily sighing. "Yes. Now go find me a suspect." Bogo closed the channel.

 _Pfft. Goddam buffalo._

In lack of other options, he got his jacket and headed to his new work place. He walked, since the flat, the ZPD rented for the time of the investigation was just a few blocks away from the bar. He soon saw the neon lights reading '(T)Rusty Mug' and he walked up to the building. It looked not much older than the other buildings in this district, but it sure looked more damaged and run down. The old brick house had many cracks in its walls, on one side graffiti were plastered all over it and the once bright red bricks had become darker and dirtier over the time. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, falling into his role.

 _My name is Marty Vulpes._

 _I plan to become a bartender in Zootopia._

 _I apply for a job at this bar._

He lifted his gaze and opened the dark wooden door.

On the inside he was greeted by a surprisingly clean interior. Aside from the dusty floor, the bar was pretty tidy with black tables and comfortable looking red seats arranged at the sides of the room. At the wall in front of him was one door on each side of a long counter. Behind said counter a black bear, wearing a grey tee under an apron, who polished a glass in a cliché manner. The bear seemed to notice him.

"A bit early to go into a bar, isn't it?"

Nick had arrived at eight in the morning. He chuckled and shook his head.

"No, it really isn't." He pointed towards the 'help wanted' sign in one of the windows. "I was actually planning on applying for the bartender job here."

"I already thought, nobody would consider it." He reached out his paw. "I'm Ted, nice to meet you."

"People call him Teddy." A voice from the other side of the bar side. Nick turned towards the voice's origin and discovered a wolverine in a mechanics overall, resting his arm on a jukebox.

"Actually only you call me this."

"You like it, don't you?"

"Roy, stop embarrassing me in front of Mr…"

"Vulpes. Marty Vulpes."

"Excuse him, he is an idiot."

"Hey!"

"Shush Roy, I am having a job interview here."

The wolverine rolled his eyes and concentrated on fixing the jukebox again. Teddy turned to Nick again.

"You still want to work with us?"

"If the only thing I have to worry about is nagging, sure." Nick said jokingly. The bear chuckled only shortly and moved around the counter and guided Nick to a table.

"Take a seat, please. I guess we have not much options, but I have to do some kind of interview."

"Sure go on."

"So do you have any experience in working as a bartender?"

"Back in the countryside, I worked regularly as waiter at my dad's bar. Sometimes I had to jump in as bartender too."

"Countryside? Which town do you come from?"

"Fangston."

"Well if that isn't a coincidence, Roy's mother is from Fangston. Isn't that right, Roy?"

"Step-mom." He put emphasize on the 'step'. _Seems not to have the best relationship with his parents…_ Teddy continued.

"Anyways, why did you come to Zootopia?"

"Well in a city like Fangston, you don't really have many opportunities. I wanted to work in a club in Zootopia since I was twelve. I think this would be a good start."

"Moved just recently?"

"Yeah just some weeks ago."

The bear looked at him and seemed to think. Nick heard the constant sounds of Roy fixing the Jukebox and time seemed to drag on and on until the bear lifted his gaze, put both paws on the table and stood up.

"So far, I guess you meet all requirements. Just need to pass the boss fight."

"Boss fight?"

Roy has already stopped his work and opened the door on the left of the counter, revealing a mammal. The coyote had brown ruffled fur with lots of grey in between. He wore a long coat of grey colour over a green tee and black pants. The coat also put emphasize on the most noticeable trait of the old male.

His whole right arm was missing. After the shoulder was just the unnaturally thin looking sleeve of the coat. He walked up to Nick and if it wasn't for Nick's observing yet subtle watch one could have missed that he was limping. He dragged his right foot a bit when he walked, but sure attempted to cover it and it worked good.

All over the Coyote was intimidating if he did not inject Nick some respect. He desperately tried to stop his neck hair from standing up. Coyotes were known as natural enemies of foxes and especially with an older and way way grumpier example of this species, Nick could not be sure to be not thrown out of the nearest window.

But instead the coyote walked over to him and smiled.

"Since I am in a certain condition, I prefer not to shake hands, if you're ok with that."

Nick was slightly surprised by the friendly, yes almost fatherly tone of the coyote. He covered it up and smiled back.

"I don't mind at all."

"Great, so you want to work here?"

"Yes, I would love to."

"Are you an alcoholic?"

"What, no!"

"Good." He turned around again. "You can start tomorrow. 8 AM."

Nick stood there for a second as the coyote proceeded to walk back into whatever was behind the left door. He exchanged a look with Teddy, who grinned and went back to the counter again. Roy already started repairing the Jukebox again. So he turned around and left the building.

 _Well I never had a job interview, but I guess this went not horrible._


	4. Routine, Routine and an open door

After his first interview a sort of routine came into Nick's day.

7:00 AM get up, report to base

8:00 AM be at bar

8:00 AM – 6: 00 PM work at bar and try to find a lead

6:00 PM – 7: 00 PM report to base

It was not really interesting, but he enjoyed to have something new apart of the ZPD. The job was easy. The bar did not have much customers anyways and when, then they were "champs". "Champs" were the main population of parts of town like this. Working class predators, mostly between the age of forty and seventy-five.

 _Mammals that started working in a factory at sixteen and never got another job._

"Champs" was an euphemism, a positive touch to the old insult "chomper". Probably to make the predators not feel that hated back when segregation was still a thing.

 _Predatory proletarians. Didn't know that still existed._

At least that was how Ted explained it. Ted and his annoying friend were the only people he'd see regularly. The "Boss" didn't leave the room behind the left door often. And if he did, only to get one of his workers in there to help him with a thing. Then there were days, when "Boss" seemed to be out of town. Usually at Fridays Nick and Roy would be alone. Sometimes just before those Fridays Nick had to help the others putting boxes into a car, which Ted drove away with. Unfortunately he never got a glimpse at their inventory.

Over all the work and friendly coworkers Nick – or Marty – never forgot what his main purpose was: Trying to find a murderer. And he had the intuition that whatever was behind that door would give him an idea, if not a lead.

Attempts to find out more about the bar, its workers, their private lives or the "Boss", who remained to be called "Boss", were futile.

 _Seems like they don't want to get too fond of me…_

Nick focused on washing the dishes again. He was currently in the kitchen behind the right door. The left one was off limits, or so it seemed. He did not try to be too obvious about his intentions. But he hid his questions in well-constructed, casual small talk. Being a former hustler was useful after all. After a few weeks he already thought nothing would happen and he started to get bored. A lot. That was until the next Monday.

He had overslept. The chief shouted him out of bed over the radio. 7:45 AM.

"Oh fuck. Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck."

He ran down the street while still getting his jacket on. He arrived at 8:10. When he opened the door, he would expect Ted to be angry at him. But Ted was not there. Neither was Roy. But the door on the left was open.

 _It can't be…_

He casually put his weapon on a hook next to the door and tried to get a view of the room without being too obvious.

 _No it can't be this easy._

But "Boss" was not there. He was alone. Doubting the safety, he closed his eyes and listened.

 _Nothing._

He carefully looked around the corner.

 _Still nothing._

In the next second he stood in the room. And he was not sure what it was. Next to a dirty couch were computers, maps and shelves full of books. If he would have to compare it with anything it would have been…

 _An operation center._

Taking a closer look at the maps revealed their age. They were at least fifty years old and showed a plan of a city. At first he thought it was Zootopia until he read the title.

" _Federal Districts of the City of Mammalia"_

Mammalia was one of the first joined predator-prey cities, he remembered. The same ideals of peace and unity. More he did not know. And more he did not find out as something was pulled over his head and darkness embraced him.

 **Well I'm back with a shorter story (666 words to be precise). Big Thanks to** Animallover1616 **, whose replies brought me back to my stories.**


End file.
